Try

‘This is Rob. And this is Kevin. They play games together, laugh together and go to school together. They have lots of other friends. But Rob always has Kevin. And Kevin always has Rob.’

Rugby legends the late Rob Burrow and his best friend and tireless fundraiser for Motor Neurone Disease Kevin Sinfield CBE have created a fun cast of young characters whose personalities and approach to life echo the variety in school and at playtime.

Ben Whitehouse’s vibrant, emotionally sophisticated illustrations, which convey every mood from unalloyed joy to anxiety, draw young readers into this story and keep those pages turning.

The world evoked is of a nurturing classroom and playground environment, where boys as well as girls support each other with patience, consideration and kindness. This sense of emotional safety helps young hero Rob take his time to consider the question posed by his teacher: who is your hero? It doesn’t have to mean having big muscles, rescuing people from danger or being able to kick a rugby ball furthest, Rob realises. We all have the capacity to be someone’s hero, simply by helping others grow in confidence. This message is beautifully expressed with the lightest of touches, with the authors acknowledging help from award-winning picture book writer Emma Adams.

The overarching themes of kindness and cast-iron friendship, explored with verve and playfulness, makes Try a book to treasure. Publishers Macmillan Children’s Books position this story for ages 2-5 but it may also appeal to older children, up to age 7, who are gaining a deeper understanding of qualities such as loyalty, and starting to value friends highly alongside core family and main carer relationships.